PURE ACCIDENT

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 72, 27 March 1933, Page 13

PURE ACCIDENT

A SHOOTING FATALITY

RIFLE WENT OFF

(Special to "The Evening Post.")

NELSON, March 25.

An inquest was held this morning before the Coroner, Mr. T. E. Maunsell, S.M., concerning the death of William John Tregidga, of Puponga, who died yesterday from a gunshot wound received on January 25. Detective F. Sinclair put in a signed statement which he took from the deceased while in hospital on January 31. The statement was to the effect that on January 25 the deceased and Thomas S. _ McCaffrey were walking over a bridge at Puponga when their attention was drawn to a shark in the water. McCaffrey suggested getting a rifle and having a shot at it. A young man named Bill, Scott was passing at the time and was asked if he had a rifle. He replied that he had and McCaffrey went across the bridge to receive it, the deceased remaining on the bridge watching the shark. McCaffrey was on a rock when he got the rifle and was loading the weapon while coming down. It went off and the bullet struck the deceased in the thigh. A statement by McCaffrey to the Collingwood police was also put in. It was that while he was swinging round to get a shot at the shark the rifle went off. So far as he knew he did not touch the trigger. Evidence was given by Dr. G. Campbell, acting-superintendent of the hospital, and by Richard Tregidga, brother of the deceased.

The Coroner in returning a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence said he was satisfied that the affair was quite accidental.